China Men's Olympic Hockey Roster
The China men's national ice hockey team is set to compete in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. As the host country, China automatically qualifies for the tournament, and the team is looking to make a strong statement in front of their home crowd. The roster for the men's team has been announced, and here is a breakdown of the players who will represent China on the ice.
Forwards
The Chinese forward group is mostly made up of players from the Kunlun Red Star, the KHL team based in China. Some notable names include Brandon Yip, who played in the NHL for the Colorado Avalanche and Nashville Predators, and Tyler Wong, who played in the AHL for the Chicago Wolves. Other forwards to watch out for include Liu Zhixin, who played in the QMJHL for the Charlottetown Islanders, and Song Andong, who played in the USHL for the Madison Capitols.
Defensemen
The Chinese defensemen are led by Zach Yuen, who played in the AHL for the Ontario Reign and the ECHL for the Manchester Monarchs. He is joined by Alexei Bereglazov, who played in the KHL for Ak Bars Kazan and SKA Saint Petersburg, and Song Hongwei, who played in the WHL for the Vancouver Giants. The defense will be crucial for China, as they look to keep the puck out of their own net and provide some offensive support from the blue line.
Goalies
The Chinese goalies are both from the Kunlun Red Star organization. Wu Xiaotian will likely be the starter for China, as he has played in the KHL for the past few seasons. He is joined by Song Andong, who is a younger goalie but has shown promise in his young career. The goalies will be key for China, as they look to keep their opponents' scoring chances to a minimum and give their team a chance to win every game.
Conclusion
While China may not be among the favorites to win the Olympic gold medal, they have put together a solid roster that should be able to compete with the other teams in their group. The team will be hoping to make a good impression on their home ice and give Chinese hockey fans something to cheer about. With the leadership of head coach Kevin Constantine and the talent on the roster, there is reason to be optimistic about China's chances in the tournament.
